Gloucester Castle

[Lou Barron]

Is there any information about the people that were saved on this boat as i was one of them and want to know more about what happened to my fellow shipmates?????

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Charles
Hi
Would just like to give you a warm Welcome to this very good site!
Here you will find lots of info,good Crew and with luck also find a few old Shipmates!
So sit back,relax and just enjoy the trip!
Hope we will have you here for a long time!
A site truly worthy of the British Merchant Navy!
Cheers


Also"

If you would like to join in and have your Full name R Number and First Ship
Included in the Flag project then please pass it on to Mike Hall who is doing a Main Flag for all
to be displayed some time in one of the UK Museums!
Thank you

Please go to following Link and follow instructions there
When page opens Click on Contact info on Right and on dropdown list select
Send a message via Email to Mike Hall


http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/member.php?u=8

Alternatively you can send your details to me as well and i will pass them on to Mike for you
Thanks

http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/member.php?u=18

If any new Members (or old) would like more info on the Flag Projects please click on the following Link!
Thank you

http://www.merchant-navy.net/gallery...ry.php?cat=558






This Link gives a bit of an account of the loss,but only lists the ones that lost their lives
From Billy Mc Gee!
Cheers
Vernon



http://union-castle.net/ship_Glouces..._wreck+01.html


http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/unioncastle2.html

http://murraymcgregor.wordpress.com/...pe-mail-lines/

GLOUCESTER CASTLE

(July 15, 1942) Union Castle Line passenger ship of 7,999 tons and converted to an Armed Merchant Cruiser, was attacked off the Ascension Islands, by German commerce raider Michel during a voyage from Birkenhead to Cape Town, South Africa. All her starboard side lifeboats were destroyed after which she sank about ten minutes later. Of her compliment of 12 passengers (all women and children) and 142 crew, a total of 93 souls perished. Two lifeboats escaped the scene carrying 61 survivors but was later picked up by the Michel and transferred to her supply tanker, the Charlotte Schliemann, which transported them to Yokohama, Japan, where they were interned for the rest of the war. Two of the survivors died while in Japanese captivity.

[Captain Kong]

SS GLOUCESTER CASTLE.
Hi Charles, did you know Joe Farnworth of Bolton, he was a Deck Boy or O/S. It would be useful if you knew how he died. I am still a mate of his brothers. It was rumoured that he was in the ships hospital after being injured in a fall on deck.
I have the phone No. somewhere of the daughter of one man who survived, , She lives in Mill Road, Birkenhead. I will try to find it for you.
Cheers
Brian.


On 21 June 1942, my birthday, I was up and out early round to my mate `Clogger` Farnworth`s house, His brother Joe Farnworth was off to join a ship, SS Gloucester Castle, at Liverpool.
Clogger and I helped to carry his sea bag to the bus stop. "Where you going to Joey" I asked.
"To South Africa` he replied, " Wish we could come as well" we said.

Joe sailed that day in convoy to Freetown, Sierra Leone. then on alone towards the Cape.
On the night of 15 July 1942, she was attacked by the `Michele" a German Raider, Captain Ruckteschell, Shelled and torpedoed, she sank just South of Acension Island, 93 passengers and crew were killed including Joe Farnworth, aged 17. Deck Boy.
The survivors, 41 were picked up by the Germans, some were transferred to German tanker then taken east, 50 were taken off in Singapore some to work on the Burma Railway , one died, the others taken ashore in Japan and used as slave labour in the coal mines and steel works in Osaka.
they did not get home until January 1946.then the story came out. Mrs Farnworth was then told that her son Joe had died nearly four years before.
Captain, Helmuth von Ruckteschell of the Michele, was tried for war crimes at the end of WW2, and in 1946 was imprisoned at Spandau.

In 2001, I joined the QE2 to sail to Cape Town. I told the Farnworth family including my old mate `Clogger` and took a Merchant Navy wreath with me.
I spoke to Captain Ron Warwick about the incident and he said he would make arrangemets when we got in the position of the sinking.
On the day south of Acenscion Island, a table was laid on the upper deck with a red ensign over and with the wreath I had brought.
With many passengers , a lot of them ex Union Castle, Captain Warwick held a Service over the place of the sinking. then after two minutes silence the Wreath was cast into the sea, A few tears were shed by some of the ladies. The dead of the Gloucester Castle had had their first Service. The Family was very pleased it had happened.

I HEARD THAT A STEWARD WHO SURVIVED WAS KILLED IN HIS FIRST WEEK AT HOME IN A MOTOR CYCLE ACCIDENT.

On the BBC SITE, WW2 PEOPLES WAR, is a story of Frank Chadwick, sent in by his daughter

The niece of Frank Chadwick would welcome contact from other survivors. Barbara Hawney, 8 Mill Road, Higher Bebington, Wirral CH63 8QQ Tel 0151 608 5908


Built in Scotland in 1911.
Gloucester Castle was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company in 1911 for the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company. Her tonnage 7999 GRT, a length of 450 feet and 7 inches with a beam of 56 feet 2 inches, her speed, a humble 13 knots.


In September 1914 she was converted to a 410 bed hospital ship In 1915 she was serving in the Galipolli campaign.

Although well identified as a Hospital ship with her large Red crosses painted on her hull, she was torpedoed on the 30th. of March in 1915 on a trip from Le Havre to Southampton, with 399 passengers on board, only 3 died. She did not sink and was taken in tow for repairs In 1919 she was back in service with Union Castle on the South African run.

[Gill Young]

Hi Joe Farnworth was my uncle, i would love to know who clogger Farnworth is, we have always been told by my dad John Farnworth, who sadly died last year that Joey lied about his age when he joined up, any information you could give me would be very much appreciated
Many thanks Gill Young

[Captain Kong]

Hi Gill, I have been a friend of the Farnworth family since I was five years old,
I lived a couple of streets away from Dougill Street and I think it was number 17, As a kid I went to school and in the same class and in the same `gang ` as `Glogger`
David Farnworth is his real name. I still see him regularly, after 72 years,
He got his nick name of `Clogger` when we were coming home from school in 1945, on Chorley Old Road. we all wore clogs in those days and my clog iron was worn out, and a piece of the iron stuck sideways, Dave and I both jumped up to head a ball and as I came down my iron ran down Davids leg and tore it wide open,
He carries the scar to this day, like a long zip down the back of his leg. ask him to show it to you, you must know him. Since that day his nick name has always been `Clogger` after my clog. 70 years later I still call him Clogger,
His sister Joan died a couple of months ago, and I know Geof as well, he always did some Football ing, I cannot remember John. I helped to carry Joe`s sea bag with` Clogger` Dave, on the day that Joey was joining the Gloucester Castle, to the Ivy Road bus stop on Chorley Old Road.
I gave details of Joe`s Memorial Service to Geoff, David and Joan in 2002 after I returned from a trip to South Africa, including the Service sheets , see,
.
.
In 2001, I joined the QE2 to sail to Cape Town. I told the Farnworth family including my old mate `Clogger` and took a Merchant Navy wreath with me.
I spoke to Captain Ron Warwick about the incident and he said he would make arrangemets when we got in the position of the sinking.
On the day, south of Acenscion Island, a table was laid on the upper deck with a red ensign over and with the wreath I had brought.
With many passengers , a lot of them ex Union Castle, Captain Warwick held a Service over the place of the sinking. then after two minutes silence the Wreath was cast into the sea, A few tears were shed by some of the ladies. The dead of the Gloucester Castle had had their first Service. The Family was very pleased it had happened, and the dead of the Gloucester Castle can now Rest in Peace.
,
,
,
I still live in Bolton and see `Clogger` or should I say Uncle David. regularly and phone him as well.
I hope this explains the mystery of Clogger.
Cheers
Brian.

[Lou Barron]

good day to you capt i have been in touch with GILL and i told him i will get in touch with him after i come back after awee break on my nephews farm the weather is lovely and warm will be away for a couple of days see you later

[Tony Morcom]

Enjoy the break and the weather Lou.

[Captain Kong]

Also, Enjoy the break Lou, envy the weather, Hope to see you on 23 February in Dunedin.
Cheers
Brian.

[Gill Young]

Hi Brian, thank you so much for your reply, you dont know what it means to me.I do know clogger(David) although i havnt seen him for years, i visited uncle Geoff earlier this year and we had a good catch up. The main reason i am so interested is that i have been tracing my family tree now for over 30 years with much success, but when it comes to my dad John (Jack) Farnworth, there are so many unanswered questions, he would never talk about his family although he was very close to uncle Geoff. I have done much research into his family and as far as i knew he didnt have a sister called Joan.There was

Primrose Ethel born1919
John(my dad) born 1921
Joseph(Joe) born 1924
Geoff born 1930
Brenda born 1933
David born1935

The lady that passed away a few months ago was my cousin Dorothy who was Ethels daughter we were very close, she had a sister called Joan, its so very confusing i would love to be able to sort it out, you may think i am a little mad, i just love history and i feel strongly that it should be passed down through gererations so people never forget people like my Uncle Joe and the sacrificies they all made to keep us safe. i am just so pleased to have the opportunity to speak to someone who knew my family all those years ago, it is fasinating to me. Anything else you could tell me about your chilhood with my family would be priceless to me, did you know my Grandma and Grandad Farnworth, she was a lovely lady he used to scare me and i know my Dad didnt get on with him as he moved out when he was about 15 years old. Please tell me more its fantastic to talk to you.

With many many thanks

Kindest regards Gill

[Captain Kong]

Hi Gill I am back,
I have just spoken to David,
It was Dorothy, not Joan, who died in November, Dorothy was Ethel`s daughter, and more or less adopted by your Grandparents Primrose Lilly, Ethel was named just Ethel. Primrose Lilly was your Dad`s Mother.
Dorothy was flying back from Spain and got severe pains and was taken off the plane to hospital, an ulcer on her liver burst and she died in November.
Brenda was 79 on Christmas Eve. So her date of birth was 24 December 1932,
Geoff was born in April 1930, he was a friend of my brother Jim Aspinall.
Dave`s birth is November 1934. so now 77.
and then there was Cyril who was married to one of them.
Your Dad, John, or Jack, had his own Painting and Decorating company.
David`s wife Eileen has been in hospital six times this year with Emphysema, and is now on Oxygen.
I hope that clarifies a few things for you.
I have known David or Clogger as was his nick name, for 72 years since we were 5 years old. We were near neighbours and went to school together and in the same `Gang` as kids.
I have a photo somewhere of the two of us aged about 13 years old going swimming on the moors in a water hole up there. If I find it I will send it to you.
I am going to see Lou in New Zealand in February.
Cheers, Brian.